Without a doubt, some of the most persistent misconceptions we hear from furniture shoppers are about wood veneer furniture. But why? What is wood veneer and what are these common fears and misconceptions folks have regarding it? Is there an argument to be made in favor of wood veneers? Is wood veneer furniture a good fit for you – or anybody for that matter?
Let’s be honest, you can go to any number of places to buy furniture. However, we strive to be more than some place that’ll sell you a bedroom or dining set. A key part of our business for the last 3 decades at Woodstock Furniture & Mattress Outlet is our role as teachers and customer advocates. It’s our job to make sure that you are well-informed about the products you’re considering for your home. This is because it is important to us that customers make the shopping decisions that are right for them. That’s why today’s conversation is important.
In the article below, we’ll cover what wood veneer is and isn’t, weigh the pros and cons of wood veneer furniture, and by doing so, see how it stacks up against solid wood construction. By the end of this short article, you’ll have all the info you need to judge for yourself whether wood veneer furniture is right for you. Let’s get to it!
But First, What Is Wood Veneer?
There’s some degree of misunderstanding about what wood veneer is and what it’s not. So let’s start by defining it.
A wood veneer is an incredibly thin layer of wood attached to a base material, known as substrate. In furniture manufacturing, woodworking, and cabinetry, this is done to give pieces the appearance of solid wood construction. Veneers are almost always attached to substrate with a glue or adhesive.
The veneers themselves are typically made from hardwood and can range from several millimeters thick to less than 1/2 millimeter. As for the substrate material, it is most often either a softwood like pine, or an engineered or recycled wood product like MDF (medium-density fiberboard), plywood, chipboard, particleboard, or blockboard.
[Editor’s Note: For more helpful info, be sure to check out our comparison of hardwoods, softwoods and wood veneers!]
Common Fears & Misconceptions About Wood Veneers
Now that we know what wood veneers are, we can move on to discussing common misconceptions, fears, and objections. Here at Woodstock Furniture & Mattress Outlet, our furniture experts hear questions and statements like those below on a daily basis.
“Is Wood Veneer Even Real Wood?
Our answer here is an emphatic yes. Woodworkers craft wood veneers almost exclusively from hardwoods like oak, maple, cherry, ash, mahogany, birch, walnut, hickory, etc. As such, they have the characteristics of these different woods, including authentic wood grain. Even engineered substrate materials like MDF are entirely natural and made with real wood. Believe it or not, substrates like MDF do have a number of benefits that we’ll discuss below.
To clarify, there are indeed wood veneer alternatives within the furniture industry that shoppers often mistake for wood veneers. For instance, manufacturers of entry-level furniture often use a similar technique to wrap the substrate material with a vinyl that’s printed with a wood grain pattern. While the base substrate material is still real wood, the visible “wood grain” isn’t.
Laminate is another material shoppers commonly mistake for wood veneer. Laminates like Formica® and melamine are frequently used for things like commercial furniture, home office furniture, kitchen countertops, and cabinets. Just like the vinyl wrap above, laminate is usually attached to a real wood substrate of some sort, but is manufactured with man-made plastics. That’s not to say that these construction methods are without their own benefits and drawbacks. However, that’s beyond the scope of today’s discussion since these materials are not technically wood veneers.
“But Isn’t Wood Veneer Furniture Low Quality? I Don’t Want Something That Looks Cheap.”
Another common misconception is that wood veneers are inherently low quality. Unfortunately, that is because peoples’ first exposure to veneers are often the cheap-looking, poorly-built furniture they bought for their first apartment or college dorm. In many cases, these bad experiences were just as likely involving poorly-made laminate or vinyl than actual wood veneer. Regardless, these shoppers often have a negative, knee-jerk reaction against anything that’s not solid wood as a result.
But this veneer fear really isn’t justified. Tons of established high-end brands like Hooker, Bernhardt and Vaughan-Bassett craft gorgeous, hand-finished pieces using wood veneers. It is not uncommon to find hybrid construction using both wood solids and veneers in even the most expensive casegoods made today. This is for a number of reasons that we’ll touch on below. However, one reason is that some fine detail work and certain shapes aren’t feasible, economical, or sustainable with solid wood.
“I’ve Heard That Wood Veneer Furniture Just Isn’t As Durable as Solid Wood Though.”
This is the big one. Arguably the most pervasive of all customer concerns is that wood veneer furniture just won’t hold up to regular use. We hear it all the time.
However, despite what critics would have you believe, it is absolutely possible to make heirloom quality bedroom or dining furniture using wood veneer construction. High quality veneer pieces can last for decades or longer. We know for a fact that both the ancient Egyptians and ancient Romans crafted furniture using wood veneers – because some of these pieces still exist in museums thousands of years later!
Lots of factors determine how durable a piece of wood veneer furniture is going to be. These factors include the type of wood used, the thickness of the veneer, the substrate material, the quality of the adhesive, and frankly, the level of craftsmanship. As with many things in life, to a certain degree, you get what you pay for. While entry-level and budget-oriented wood veneer furniture have their own benefits and certainly deserve a place in the market, they’re not going to be super durable. And as we already discussed above, this is hands-down the biggest reason folks have fears about veneer furniture in the first place.
Summary: The Pros & Cons of Wood Veneer Furniture
So, at this point, we know what wood veneers are. We know that they’re real wood. And lastly, we know that when built well, wood veneer furniture can be very high quality and extremely durable. But how about a simple weighing of the pros and cons?
Wood Veneer Furniture Pros
The truth is that veneer furniture can potentially be lighter weight, more sustainable, and generally more affordable than solid wood furniture. All three of these benefits are a direct result of how veneer furniture is constructed.
Softwoods like those from pine and other evergreen trees are typically much lighter and less dense than the hardwoods manufacturers typically use to craft solid wood furniture. Since lots of wood veneer furniture uses softwood substrates, this can make the finished product much lighter. The same goes for materials like MDF since they’re usually made from young, quickly-growing softwoods. The lone exception here is that solid wood furniture made from softwoods like pine can be even lighter weight.
Additionally, because softwood trees grow much more quickly, they are also far easier to replace through replanting efforts. Also, with wood veneer production, a single hardwood tree can be transformed into tons of beautiful pieces of furniture since each piece only requires a thin cut of a few millimeters. By comparison, solid wood construction actually produces much more waste product and is significantly less sustainable. This is the primary reason that wood veneer tends to be more affordable on average, because you’re not paying extra for wasted wood cuts left on the workshop floor.
As for quality and durability, it really is a toss-up between wood veneer and solid wood furniture since each has their own strengths and weaknesses. If the wood is not properly kiln-dried and maintained over time, solid wood can warp and crack from age and changes in humidity. Wood veneer construction mitigates this risk, but has its own weaknesses we’ll get into below.
Wood Veneer Furniture Cons
The cons of wood veneer furniture are largely common knowledge – even if they are frequently exaggerated. But just because these concerns are overstated in our opinion, certainly doesn’t mean that we should disregard them.
For instance, if a wood veneer is too thin or applied improperly, the veneer can bubble or peel over time. Additionally, if veneers aren’t properly sealed or finished, they are susceptible to water damage and absorbing moisture.
While far less common with high quality veneers, there’s always some risk of lifting or chipping the veneer by accident. As a result, you should take care and watch your edges in particular when moving wood veneer furniture. Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to repair veneer furniture, however it is a more involved process than repairing solid wood furniture. Especially with thinner veneers that cannot be sanded and refinished.
Is Wood Veneer Bedroom, Dining Room or Living Room Furniture Right for You?
Hopefully by now, it’s clear that wood veneer furniture is indeed a valid option and not something to be feared. Wood veneer furniture isn’t necessarily cheap, fragile, or low-quality, but rather is available at a wide variety of price points, from entry-level to high-end. But is it right for you?
If you’re looking for a dining set, bedroom set, coffee table, desk or media console that is both affordable and sustainable, wood veneer furniture just might be a good fit for you. For examples of fine wood veneer furniture, solid wood furniture and more, come see our huge selection for yourself at any of our 3 North Georgia furniture stores. See you soon!
